Lamp-shade holder



R. B. BENJAMIN. LAMP SHADE HOLDER. FILED Mia. 24, 1919.

Jan. 23

Parasite a... 23, 1923.

NITED STATES PATENT orricr.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

LAMP-SHADE HOLDER.

Application filed March 24, 1919. Serial No. 284,557.

My invention relates to improvement-s in lamp shade-holders of the type used in connection with electric lamps, and has for its object the production of a device of this character which will be of durable and economical construction and one which will be adapted to securely engage and hold a lamp shade. A further object is the production of a shade-holder as mentioned which may be readily and easily operated and which will be of neat and pleasing design. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations and arrange ments of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lamp shadeholder embodying the invention, the lamp shade being shown detached therefrom;

Fig. 2 is an axial section through the holder, with the same shown in position of use;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on substantially line 44 of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a husk or housing 5 adapted, when in use, to receive an electric lamp socket 6 of conventional design. Said husk is provided at its rearward end with an ordinary internallythreaded nipple 5, which is adapted to be threaded onto the pipe or conduit 6 which encloses the conductor wires leading to the socket 6.

The mouth of said husk is provided with an enlarged portion 7 in which, when the device is in use, is adapted to be received one end of the support 8 of the shade 9 in connection with which the device is employed. In some instances, of course, the supporting element 8 is not used, the shade itself being, instead, formed to engage in the mouth of the husk or housing 5. In the construction shown, the shade 9 is supported by having its upper edge engaging a circumferential groove 10 provided at the lower end of member 8.

Arranged within the mouth portion 7 of husk 5 is a plurality of spaced clamping fingers 11, the same being arranged to extend in the direction of the circumference of the portion 7, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. One end of each of said clamping fingers is rigidly secured by means of a rivet 12 or other suitable fastening to the housing portion 7, the opposite or free end of each clamping finger being free to move inwardly, as will be readily understood. Formed in the free end of each clamping finger is a laterally projecting bend 13, the sides of which are inclined to each other, so that the mouth of the bend is divergent or flaring.

Formed in the housing port-ion 7 for cooperation with each bend 13 are two spaced slots 14 and 14, one side of the corresponding bend projecting exteriorly through the slot 14, the other side of the bend re-entering the housing through the slot- 14. With this arrangement it will be seen that the free end of each bend will be limited in its inward movement by the portion of the housing remaining between the corresponding slots 14 and 14', so that, in the use of the device, no amount of pressure or pull can possibly dislodge the free ends of the clamping fingers from their operative positions in relation to the husk or housing 5. Withoutthis locking action it is, of course, apparent that the free ends of the clamping fingers could quite easily be pulled inwardly from engagement with the adjacent wall of the housing portion 7 The free ends of the clamping fingers are adapted, upon inward movement thereof, to engage with a circumferential, outwardlyopening groove 15 formed in the shade support 8 in order to lock the same to thehousing or husk 5, and, in order to effect a more etficient engagement with said groove, each clamping finger is formed with beads or convex portions 16.

Embracing the housing portion 7 is an annular actuating member 17, the upper portion of which engages over the upper side of the mouth portion 7, the lower edge of said member 17 being curved inwardly, as at 18, to embrace the lower edge of said portion 7.- Formed in the actuating member 17, through bulging of the same at intervals, are inwardly opening recesses 19 adapted to receive the bends 13 when at their outer terminals of movement or in the inoperative positions of clamping fingers 11. Leading circumferentially from one side of each of therecesses 19 is an inwardly inclined cam surface 20 upon which, in the rotation of the member 17 in a contraclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, the outer ends of bends 13 are adapted to ride in order to force the same inwardly and hence to move the clamping lingers 11 to operative position, as seen in Fig. 3. WVith this arrangement, then, it will be seen that movement of the clamping fingers to operative or inoperative positions may be effected by simply rotatably adjusting the actuating member 17. Such movement of said actuating member is limited by means of an outwardly projecting stop 21 formed in the housing portion 7 which is adapted for engagement with inwardly projecting stops 22 formed in the member 17, as clearly seen in Fig. at. These stops are formed by simply pressing outwardly or inwardly, as the case may be, a portion of the metal in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

In a holder of the construction set forth it will be seen that the clamping fingers are completely enclosed and covered by'the actuating member 17, thus protecting the same and producing a construction of neat and finished appearance. Said actuating memher also serves to close the openings let and 1 1, thus excluding the weather from the interior of the holder.

By reason of the inclined disposition of the sides of each bend 13 of the clamping fingers it will be seen that provision is made for yielding engagement with the lamp shade, it being clear that, with this arrangement, the bends in the clamping fingers will yield to conform with the diameter of the shade engaged, so that with a shade of large diameter said bends will flatten to accommodate the same. This is of considerable importance in that it provides a structure adapted to compensate for inevitable variations in the diameters of lamp shades due to inaccuracies in manufacture. Also, with the construction set forth it will be seen that each clamping finger will engage with the lamp shade at two points, namely, at points positioned at the terminals of the sides of the bend in each clamping finger, so that in the construction shown wherein three clamping fingers are used, the lamp shade will be engaged at six points. A secure and efficient engagement with the lamp shade is thus effected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to the interior of said housing; a lateral projection at the free end of each of said clamping members projecting exteriorly; and an annular rotary member having cam surfaces adapted to engage the projections on said clamping members to move the latter inwardly, said member moving in one transverse plane.

2. A shade-holder comprising ahousing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; a laterally projecting bend provided at the free end of each of said clamping members, said housing being slotted to permit of the 1 bends projecting exteriorly; and an annular rotary member having cam surfaces adapted to engage said bends to move the free ends of said clamping members inwardly.

3; A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; a laterally projecting bend provided in the free end of each of said clamping members, the sides of each bend being inclined to each other; and an annular rotary member having cam surfaces adapted to engage said bends to move the free ends of said clamping members inwardly.

4;. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; a laterally projecting bend provided in the free end of each of said clamping members, the sides of each bend being inclined to each other, said housing being slot-tedto permit of the bends projecting exteriorly; and an annular rotary member having cam surfaces adapted to engage said bends to move the free ends of said clamping members inwardly.

5. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members havingone end secured to said housing; a laterally projectingbend provided in the free end portion of each of said clamping members, said housing having two spaced Leo naaasso slots co-operating with and engaged by the opposite sides of the bend of each clamping member which permits of the free end of the sides of each bend being inclined to each other, said housing having two spaced slots co-operating with and engaged by the opposite sides of the bend or each clamping member which permit of the free end of each clamping member passing exteriorly of the housing and then re-entering the same; and an annular rotary member having cam surfaces-adapted to engage the exteriorly projecting portions of said clamping members to move the free ends thereof inwardly.

7. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of yieldable clamping members arranged in said housing, each having an exteriorly projecting portion; an annular rotary member having inwardly opening recesses adapted to receive the exteriorly projecting portions of said clamping members; and cam surfaces leading from said recesses circumferentially of said rotary member adapted, upon rotation of the latter, to engage said exteriorly projecting portions of said clamping members to move the same inwardly.

8. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of yieldable clamping members arranged in said housing, each having an exteriorly projecting portion; an annular rotary member having inwardly opening recesses adapted to receive the exteriorly projecting portions of: said clamping members; and inwardly inclined cam surfaces leading from said recesses circumferentially of said rotary member adapted, upon rotation of the latter, to engage said exteriorly projecting portions of said clamping members to move the same inwardly.

9. A shade-holder comprising a housing, a plurality of elongated yieldable clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; a lateral projection at the free end or" each of said clamping members projecting exteriorly; an annular rotary member embracing said housing and having inwardly opening recesses adapted to receive the exteriorly projecting portions of said clamping members; and cam surfaces leading from said recesses circumferentially of said rotary member adapted, upon rotation of the latter, to engage said projections and move the same inwardly.

10. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each oi said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; a laterally projecting bend provided in the free end of each of said clamping members, the sides of each bend being inclined to each other, said housing having two spaced slots co-operating with and engaged by the opposite sides of the bend of each clamping member which permit of the free end of each clamping member passing exteriorly of the housing and then re-entering the same; an annular rotary member embracing said housing and having inwardly opening recesses adapted to receive said bends when at their outer terminals of movement; and inwardly inclined cam surfaces leading from said recesses circumferentially oi -said rotary member adapted, upon rotation of the latter, to engage with said bends and move the same inwardly.

11. A shade-holder comprising a housing; and a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing,the free end of each of said clamping members being adapted to engage with the shade to be held at two spaced points.

12. A shade-holder comprising a housing; a plurality of elongated clamping members arranged in said housing and extending in the direction of the circumference of said housing, each of said clamping members having one end secured to said housing; and a laterally projecting bend provided at the free end of each of said clampin members, the two terminals of which are adapted to engage with the shade to be held.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

